I want to take a moment to highlight the power of our community at an Alamogordo City Commission special meeting earlier this month. Though both resolutions regarding abortion passed, the votes were not unanimous.
The city of Alamogordo has been put on notice that our community will not sit idle when human rights are threatened. That the commission continued is another example of our citizens being disregarded and ignored by elected and appointed officials. The majority spoke and advocated for no votes to declare Alamogordo a sanctuary for the unborn and for a second resolution supporting a similar resolution passed by the Otero County Commission.
City commissioners voting yes — all male — made the conscious decision to abuse their roles as elected and appointed officials acting in self-service while ignoring the written and voiced desires of the majority of our community. We represent the 79 percent of New Mexicans who trust a person to make decisions about abortion for themselves. We will continue to band together, as we know there will be no shortage of need for continued advocacy in Alamogordo.
As a former teen mother, my experience in the community that now claims to “sanctify the unborn” has been riddled with shame, stigma, isolation and harmful rhetoric, with barriers to education, health care, child care and affordable housing. As an advocate for young families in this community, I know that many of the young expectant and parenting mothers and fathers I serve have experienced the same.
Claiming sanctuary for the unborn while doing little to nothing to support policy, accessibility or representation for those already born is the hypocrisy so many of us continue to be subjected to by incompetent elected and appointed representatives.
We will align in solidarity to continue supporting progressive, life-saving and humane policies for each person while electing officials who care about the living and who will ensure Alamogordo is a welcoming and safe place for everyone.
Marylouise Kuti is a resident of Alamogordo and a former teen parent.
